Milan plane crash: ‘Romanian billionaire and family’ among eight killed

His wife and son were also killed, media reports say

(EPA)

A Romanian billionaire and members of his family were reportedly among the eight passengers killed in a plane crash in a Milan suburb at the weekend.

Dan Petrescu, one of Romania’s richest men, was the pilot and owner of the small plane that crashed into an empty building close to the city’s Linate airport on Sunday, according to local media.

The property developer, his wife and their son were killed in the crash, along with a Canadian friend of the son, Italian media reported.

They were reportedly travelling to Sardinia to celebrate the baptism of child aged one year and nine months - the youngest victim of the crash.

His Italian father, Filippo Nascimbene, his French mother, Claire Stephanie Caroline Alexandrescou and his Romanian grandmother Miruna Anca Wanda Lozinschi ere also killed, according to Italian media.

The private jet reported to belong to Mr Petrescu crashed into an office building near a metro station in the industrial suburb of San Donato Milanese.

Italian firefighters said several parked cars caught fire due to the crash.

There were no other casualties other than the eight people onboard the plane, the fire service said.

Fire officials initially said the aircraft had crashed into the building’s facade. But following further inspection, Milan’s prosecutor said it was apparent that the plane had struck the roof.

Tiziana Siciliano told reporters at the scene the plane was proceeding on its flightfrom Linate until “a certain point, then an anomaly appeared on the radar screen and it plunged”.

The city’s prosecutor said the pilots did not indicate any problem.

It was too early to cite any possible cause for the crash, she said, adding the flight recorder has been retrieved.

Additional reporting by Associated Press